[Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog]

I guess we should discuss that. The other thing, too. Let's open the floor for questions.

@AceAnbender so like, what now? #mgomailbag

— Jay Winkler (@jman077) February 8, 2016

@AceAnbender when will we stop playing like Rutgers?

— Anthony Lodato (@ajlodato) February 8, 2016

@AceAnbender why is basketball

— Burrill Strong (@sgtwolverine) February 8, 2016

@AceAnbender @mgoblog has the team moved to Istanbul?

— Stefan Zonia (@iamstefanzonia) February 8, 2016

@AceAnbender WTF?

— mgoblog (@mgoblog) February 8, 2016

I'm sensing some despair. Does anyone have a more specific question?

@AceAnbender should we just shut down MBB and liquidate assets, or shd we also dunk Beilein in pond until he admits hes a witch? #MGoMailbag

— Tom Lawrence (@LordSupremo) February 8, 2016

Ah, so. Let's try this again after the jump.

[JUMP, if you dare.]

A LACK OF ATHLETICISM

I am sure that most of our fans are frustrated after the last two games.  I know that I am.  Can you speak to how we missed on all of our top targets in the last few recruiting classes?  The championship game and Elite 8 teams were made up of 3 classes where we hit on elite talent (i.e. McGary/Irvin) or the lower ranked members progressed past where they were ranked (Burke/Stauskas).  The last few classes we have struggled to close on our main targets.  Has it just been bad luck or is there something else that Beilein focuses on that limits our effectiveness to get talent? Or is it as simple as the development of Doyle/Chatman/Walton Jr/Dawkins hasn't been as good as the development of Burke/GRIII/Stauskas/Hardaway Jr were?  
 

Thanks for what you guys do,

Go Blue in Iowa. 

I'm going to twist this question into something I'd like to address after the last couple games, since John Beilein's misses on the recruiting trail—especially the Tyus Battle fiasco—have been much-discussed around these parts.

Beilein has had remarkable success both before and after arriving at Michigan by recruiting players to his system, which narrows the field of potential players to bring into the program. I have zero issue with that—if anything, Beilein's biggest recruiting misses have come when he took higher-rated players who didn't quite seem to fit his coaching style (Carlton Brundidge and Kameron Chatman come to mind).

Scoring is tough when you can't generate a clean look at the rim. [Upchurch]

In getting Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke, Glenn Robinson III, Nik Stauskas, Mitch McGary, and Caris LeVert over the span of three classes, though, Beilein didn't just bring in system guys—he brought in system guys with NBA-level athleticism (Hardaway, GRIII, LeVert) and/or good college athletes whose skill level more than overcame certain athletic deficiencies (Burke, Stauskas). Those players not only maximized what could be done in Beilein's offensive system; they were big and athletic enough that when put in a lineup with a mean-ass upperclassman center like Jordan Morgan, they could play decent (not great, but decent) defense.

That athleticism is simply lacking on this current squad. Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton are fine players, but neither has proven they can consistently beat athletic defenders off the dribble—something Burke and Stauskas did with regularity. Burke, Stauskas, Hardaway, and GRIII could all finish at the rim in traffic; Michigan doesn't have that guy right now, let alone four of them. It's bogging down the offense, and I probably don't need to mention how much it shows up on defense, too. The best athlete on this team, Aubrey Dawkins, has yet to add the skill and basketball acumen necessary to take full advantage of his natural ability. I don't think that's a coaching issue—this staff's track record of development is difficult to dispute—but it stands out this year because this team has fewer great athletes than they did in the recent past.

Beilein has had some bad luck on the recruiting trail; he also forces himself to hit at a higher rate on the recruiting trail by looking for a specific type of player and person. He values certain skills very highly—outside shooting is an obvious example—but I think he's either undervalued pure athleticism of late or he's missed on the targets who best combine system fit and that level of athleticism required to hang with the best teams on both ends of the floor.

DUNCAN'S SLUMP

@AceAnbender is Duncan just in a slump or have teams figured out how to shut him down (if they have, what are they doing and is it fixable)?

— Crisler Spider-Man (@CrislerSpidey) February 8, 2016

I believe a couple factors are at play here, but first we should define "slump": while Robinson isn't shooting nearly as well as he did in non-conference play, he's still making 35% of his threes in 11 Big Ten games on a high volume of attempts. This isn't exactly an early-season Zak Irvin situation; Robinson is top-20 in conference-only eFG% among B1G players.

Still, it's apparent Michigan has had more trouble freeing him up for decent looks. Part of that is going against better defenses. Part of that is fatigue—Robinson looked a step slow against MSU trying to break free from defenders off the ball, and the effort it's taking just to get open is likely affecting his shot once he manages to get one off.

The fix involves more than just Robinson; in fact, I don't think it involves Robinson much at all. He thrives when the other guards/wings are getting into the paint and drawing defenders away from the arc; Michigan hasn't been able to get that going of late, so they're trying to get Robinson the ball by having him run all over the place instead of spotting up for catch-and-shoot jumpers after drives by Irvin or Walton (or, when healthy, LeVert). If the main ballhandlers get going again, Robinson should, too.

@AceAnbender any advantage to starting Dawkins over Robinson given his offensive struggles the past few games #mgomailbag

— Mike VanSambeck (@mvsambeck) February 8, 2016

I don't see this as much of a solution. Dawkins may be the worst defender on this team, which is really saying something. He wasn't effective against Indiana and almost all his production against MSU came after the game was well in hand. He doesn't have Robinson's passing ability and for all his athleticism their rebounding numbers are similarly low. Dawkins is a nice spark off the bench, but until he rounds out his game, he really doesn't add much that Robinson doesn't already do—and, somehow, I think Robinson has become the better defender.

HELP US, CARIS

What the hell is wrong with Caris Lavert? What is his injury really, and at this point, will he really be able to get back in shape and reintegrate with the team completely before the tournament. Could reintegration process be so rocky it jeopardizes our tourney chances?

Your guess is as good as mine as to the specifics of LeVert's injury and his potential return—all we're getting from the team's end are vagaries about how he's getting ever-closer to seeing the floor, but he's still walking around warmups in sweats with a noticable limp. The absurd statements about LeVert's supposed lack of toughness or him valuing the draft over this year's team are just that: absurd. He's clearly hurt in a way that would prevent him from being effective; when he can be effective, he'll be back.

A couple weeks ago, I might've had some concern about him fitting back into the lineup, which had gelled in his absence. After the last couple games, however, it's obvious how much this team needs him; if anyone on the team can solve the offense's problems, or at least assuage them, by presenting a threat off the dribble, it's LeVert. While LeVert isn't a great on-ball defender, he'd also give the team more lineup flexibility when certain players are struggling to match up on that end. The sooner he returns, the better, and I have a hard time seeing him hurt this team's tourney chances.

TOURNEY TEAM?

@AceAnbender Do you think UM will make the big dance? Why or why not? #mgomailbag

— Darren Bennett (@darrenJ19) February 8, 2016

Yes, but it's getting perilously close. Michigan's strong start in the Big Ten gave them some cushion; over these final seven regular-season games, they can go 3-4 and still feel pretty good about their chances, and that's exactly the finish KenPom currently projects.

While that obviously doesn't leave much room for error, Michigan has done quite well when facing teams outside the top tier of the conference, and that should be their saving grace: Michigan shouldn't drop any lower than the eight-seed in the conference tournament (they're currently at #6, 2.5 games clear of #9 Nebraska), which would set them up for a winnable opening game that could very well make the difference come Selection Sunday.